There are essentially four methods that can be used to evaluate the uterine cervix: digital examination, transabdominal ultrasound, transperineal ultrasound and transvaginal ultrasound. It is the digital examination that provides the most comprehensive evaluation of the cervix, assessing dilatation, position, consistency and length. However, this examination suffers from being subjective. It is limited especially in its ability to establish accurately the cervical length. It also cannot detect reproducibly any changes at the internal cervical os and the upper portion of the cervical canal. Ultrasound, with its ability to penetrate the cervical tissue and display its anatomy, makes an ideal modality with which to address both of these issues.
This 'How To' article provides practical advice on sonographic measurement of cervical length with accompanying slides and videoclips.
Read the full article and download the slide presentation of step-by-step guidance below
How to measure cervical length
How to measure cervical length